As the availability of inexpensive, photographic-quality computer printers has increased, there has also been an increase in the popularity of digital photography. Images can now be captured and printed with a quality that rivals those of traditional photographs. Many digital cameras automatically capture photographic images at the push of a button, storing them electronically in the camera on a memory device such as a flash card. The digital images can be uploaded to a computer. Large numbers of digital images can then be efficiently stored on media such as writeable or rewriteable CD-ROMs.
In addition to digital images captured by digital cameras, many users also use products incorporating optical scanning technology to create digital images from traditional photographs or other print media. One popular type of these products are multifunction (also known as “All-in-One”) printers which typically include scanner, copier, and in some cases fax capabilities in addition to printing capabilities. To perform a scanning operation, image acquisition systems incorporating these products typically require the user to manually select or adjust a number of settings, usually in conjunction with a preview of the image to be stored, before the digital image of the scanned item is created.
As large numbers of digital images from different image sources are acquired, it becomes both more important and more difficult for the user to manage and organize these images in a manner that allows him or her to easily locate and access desired images.
Accordingly, it would be highly desirable to have a new and improved image processing system, and methods of scanning and organizing digital images, that more easily acquire images from optical scanner products and which organize images from all sources in a convenient manner.